Lexical Definition

‎φθάνω‎ phthánō (fthan'-o) to precede/arrive ^G:V
apparently a primary verb

(already) attain, come, prevent.

• to be beforehand, i.e. anticipate or precede
• by extension, to have arrived at

Abbott-Smith

φθάνω [in LXX for נגע hi., מטא, etc. ;]
1. to come before another, anticipate (cl.): c. acc. pers., I Th 4:15.
2. In late writers and MGr. (v. Kennedy, Sources, 156; Lft., Notes, 35), to come, arrive: Ro 9:31; seq. εἰς, Phl 3:16; ἄχρι, II Co 10:14; ἐπί (cf. Da TH 4:21*, and v. Dalman, Words, 107), Mt 12:28, Lk 11:20, I Th 2:16 (cf. προ-φθάνω).†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

φθάνω,

[Refs 8th c.BC+], imperfect ἔφθανον [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future φθήσομαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but φθάσω [ᾰ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἔφθᾰσα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; optative 3rd.pers. singular φθάσειε [Refs 5th c.BC+] (this tense prevails in later Gk., [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; Doric dialect ἔφθασσα [Refs 3rd c.BC+]aorist is ἔφθην,[Refs 5th c.BC+], but the more usual form in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; plural ἔφθημεν, -ητε, -ησαν, [Refs 5th c.BC+], Epic dialect plural 3 φθάν [Refs 8th c.BC+]subjunctive φθῶ, Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular φθήῃ, φθῇσιν, [Refs]; Epic dialect 1st pers. plural φθέωμεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural φθέωσι [Refs]; optative φθαίην, Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular φθαίησι (παρα-) [Refs 8th c.BC+]; infinitive φθῆναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; participle φθάς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect participle middle φθάμενος [Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect ἔφθᾰκα[LXX+4th c.BC+]; πέφθακα [Refs 3rd c.AD+]: pluperfect ἐφθάκει [Refs 1st c.AD+]:—passive, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: imperfect ἐφθάνετο [Refs]; ἐφθάνοντο [Refs 1st c.AD+]: aorist ἐφθάσθην [Refs 1st c.BC+]. [φθᾰνω always in Attic dialect (so also in [Refs]; φθᾱνω in [Refs 8th c.BC+]]:—come or do first or before others:

__I with accusative person, to be beforehand with, overtake, outstrip, in running or otherwise, φθάνει δέ τε καὶ τὸν ἄγοντα [NT+8th c.BC+]; so ἔφθησαν τὸν χειμῶνα they anticipated the storm, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, to be overtaken, ὑπό τινος [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐφθάσθην (see. above).
__II absolutely, come or act first, opposed to ὑστερέω or ὑστερίζω, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοῦ φθάσαντος ἁρπαγή the prey of the first comer, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in later writers, τὰ φθάσαντα the things before mentioned, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; participle φθάνων, φθάσας previous, τῶν φθασάντων δυεῖν βιβλίων [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; ἐν τοῖς φθάνουσιν ἔργοις Dex.Hist.[Refs 1st c.AD+]previous time, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; τὸ φθάσαν, τὰ φθάσαντα, the past, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.2 with Preps., come or arrive first, ἕως τῶν οὐρανῶν [LXX+NT].., simply, arriveat, attain to, [NT+1st c.AD+]: absolutely, of Time, arrive, καιρὸς τῆς τομῆς ἔφθακε (variant{ἔφθασεν}) [LXX]; ἔφθασεν ὁ μὴν ὁ ἕβδομος[LXX]
__II.2.b extend, μέχρι γῆς [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
__II.2.c reach, αἰθέρα [Refs]
__II.2.d Grammars, to be applied or applicable, ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέρας τὰς διαθέσεις [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__III the action in which one is beforehand is expressed by the participle agreeing with the subject, [Ἄτη] πολλὸν ὑπεκπροθέει, φθάνει δέ τε πᾶσαν ἐπ᾽ αἶαν βλάπτουσ᾽ ἀνθρώπους and is beforehand in doing men mischief, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀλλ᾽ ἄρα μιν φθῆ Τηλέμαχος κατόπισθε βαλών Telemachus was beforehand with him in striking, i.e. struck first, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔφθησαν ἀπικόμενοι arrived first, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so φ. εὐεργετῶν to be the first to show a kindness, [Refs 5th c.BC+]participle passive is also used, ἦ κε πολὺ φθαίη πόλις ἁλοῦσα, i.e. it would be taken first, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; εἴ κε φθήῃ τυπείς shall be wounded first, [Refs]; φθαίητε γὰρ ἂν.. ἐξανδραποδισθέντες ἣ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φθάνειν δεῖ πεφραγμένους τοὶς πόρους they must first be blocked up, [Refs] were drawn up before the drivers, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; more frequently by πρὶν.. or ἢ.., ἔφθη ὀρεξάμενος, πρὶν οὐτάσαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔφθησαν ἀναβάντες πρὶν ἢ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔφθησαν ἐκπεσόντες πρότερον ἢ.. [Refs]
__III.b in later Gr., with participle to express previous action or happening, φθάνω ὑμῖν πρότερον γεγραφηκώς I have already written to you, [Refs 2nd c.AD+], etc.; ἔφθασα εἰρηκώς [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__III.2 in the same sense, participle φθάς or φθάσας, Epic dialect φθάμενος, is used like an adverb with a principal Verb, ὅς μ᾽ ἔβαλε φθάμενος, for ὅς μ᾽ ἔφθη βαλών, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἄλλος φθὰς ἐμεῦ κατήγορος ἔσται no other shall be an accuser before me, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀνέῳξάς με φθάσας you opened the door before me, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; even with a participle, φθάσας.. ἁρπάσας [Refs 5th c.BC+]; rarely participle present, φθάνοντες δῃοῦμεν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2.b in signification [Refs]already paid them, [Refs 4th c.AD+]; but ὡσεὶ καὶ ὁμογενῆ φθάσας εἶπον as if I had said (not had already said) ὁ., [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__III.3 rarely with infinitive, ὁ φθάσας θαρσῆσαι he that first gains confidence, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σπεύδειν ὅπως.. φθαίης ἔτ᾽ εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἐλθεῖν (variant{ἐλθών}) hurry to be in time to get to.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μόλις φθάνει θρόνοισιν ἐμπεσοῦσα μὴ χαμαὶ πεσεῖν hardly manages by falling first on the seat not to fall on the ground, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; more frequently in later writers, of actions which one manages to do, does before or has done first or already, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἐὰν ὁ ἰατρὸς αὐτὸ φθάσῃ κενῶσαι [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; φθάνοντος ἤδη πυρέττειν ἐκ τεττάρων ἡμερῶν τοῦ νοσοῦντος having already begun, [Refs]; μὴ φθάνων προσηκόντως τρέφεσθαι if he is not first suitably nourished, [Refs]; συμβαίνει φθάνειν ἀποθνῄσκειν τοὺς νεωτέρους the young die first, [Refs]; εἰ φθάσαιμεν παλαιοὺς πίθους ἔχειν μεγάλους if we already have.., [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__IV with negatives,
__IV.1 with οὐ and participle (infinitive is see reading in [Refs 5th c.BC+] you must no sooner get your beard than you march, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐ φθάνει ἐξαγόμενος καὶ εὐθὺς ὅμοιός ἐστι τοῖς ἀκαθάρτοις no sooner is he brought out than he becomes unclean, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἔφθημεν εἰς Τροιζῆν᾽ ἐλθόντες καὶ τοιαύταις νόσοις ἐλήφθημεν ἐξ ὧν.. no sooner had we come to Troezen than.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἔφθη μοι συμβᾶσα ἡ ἀτυχία καὶ εὐθὺς ἐπεχείρησαν διαφορῆσαι τἄνδοθεν scarcely or no sooner had misfortune befallen me when.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.2 οὐκ ἂν φθάνοις, οὐκ ἂν φθάνοιτε, with participle present, express a strong exhortation or urgent command, οὐκ ἂν φθάνοιτε τὴν ταχίστην ὀπίσω ἀπαλλασσόμενοι you could not be too quick in departing, i.e. make haste and be off, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐ φθάνοιτ᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἄν θνῄσκοντες make haste and die, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰς ἀγορὰν ἰὼν ταχέως οὐκ ἂν φθάνοις[Refs 5th c.BC+]; these phrases are not to be treated as questions, compare οὐκ ἂν φθάνοιμι (i.e. λέγων) [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with participle aorist, once in [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__IV.2.b in [Refs]shall hear in a moment, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἂν φθάνοι τὸ πλῆθος τούτοις τοῖς θηρίοις δουλεῦον will soon (or inevitably) be enslaved to.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]; also to express what is logically inevitable, οὐκ ἂν φθάνοιεν αὐτοὺς προσκυνοῦντες they will soon be (or cannot logically help) worshipping them, Aristeas 137; τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἂν φθάνοις καὶ Ἐμπεδοκλεῖ πρὸ αὐτοῦ ἐγκαλῶν [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: with participle aorist, [Refs]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.2Chr.28.9 ☩ 1Thess.4.15 ☩ LXX.2Chr.28.9 ☩ Matt.12.28 ☩ Luke.11.20 ☩ 1Thess.2.16 ☩ Rom.9.31 ☩ Phil.3.16 ☩ LXX.Song.2.12}